Local office in Bakersfield, CA5100 California Ave, Suite 104Directions

Truck accident in Bakersfield?Talk to a lawyer for free.

A trucking company running big rigs in California must carry at least $750,000 in liability coverage, even if its trucks never leave the state. Talk to us early, and we'll take it from there.

  • No fee unless we winWe only get paid when you get paid.
  • Zero upfront costYour consultation is free, with no obligation.
  • Hablamos españolNative Spanish speakers. No confusion. No delays.
  • Available 24/7We'll meet you at your home or hospital.
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Call our Bakersfield office(661) 426-817924/7 line: (800) 985-9565

No attorney's fees unless we recover compensation. Clients may be responsible for case costs. Read the disclaimer

Downtown Bakersfield seen from above
…actually took the time to hear my case from beginning to end. They really fought for me and my case.
Sandy M.Valero Law Group clientGoogle review

Results that speak.Millions won for injured clients.

We've won over $500 million in verdicts and settlements for our clients.

Recognized for excellence

Avvo Rating: Excellent, Top Rated Personal InjuryTop Rated by Super Lawyers
  • $6.25MPersonal injuryA confidential personal injury settlement.
  • $5MAuto accidentFor a husband and wife after the husband suffered a brachial plexus injury.
  • $2.34MAccident claimA win for a client injured in an accident.
  • $2.1MTruck accidentA settlement for a client with spinal and orthopedic injuries after a crash with a commercial truck.

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes, and each case is different.

View all results

Here to protect your interests, not the trucking company's

Trucking companies have a team.You should have one too.

A trucking company has an insurer, claims staff and lawyers, and it holds the driver's logs and the truck's inspection and maintenance records. After a crash on Highway 99, Highway 58 or I‑5, an adjuster may call within days, and what you say can shape the rest of your claim.

Before you sign anything, ask yourself:

  1. Was the truck driver, the trucking company or the company that loaded the truck to blame?
  2. Do you have the company's name and USDOT number from the side of the cab?
  3. Will the settlement cover your treatment and lost income months from now, not just today?

From one of our car accident cases

The insurer's best offer$410,000

What we won for our client$4.4M

A car accident that left our client with a neck injury. Most people would have taken the offer. We won more than ten times as much.

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes, and each case is different.

Get my free case review
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Our office in Bakersfield

Local truck accident lawyers,right here in Bakersfield.

Not every firm that advertises in Bakersfield has an office here. We do.

Our office is on California Avenue, and we know Kern County's truck routes, from Highway 99 and Highway 58 to I‑5 over the Grapevine, where the CHP says over 30% of the traffic past its scales is commercial. Come in, or we'll come to you anywhere in Kern and Tulare Counties.

Nearby officesPalmdaleFresnoWoodland Hills

Why choose Valero Law Group?

We champion every case,big and small.

Whether your case is worth $5,000 or $5 million, we bring the same skill, attention and determination to every client we represent.

So don't let the size of your case keep you from seeking justice: every injury deserves serious representation. Let us fight for the compensation you're owed while you focus on what matters most, your recovery.

They made me feel like a priority, and they put my needs first as a client.

IsabelValero Law Group client

400+five-star Google reviews

Real reviews fromour clients.

  • Samuel M. smiling in the Valero Law Group office with his $881,000 settlement check
    Samuel M.$881,000
  • Victoria M. smiling in front of the Valero Law Group logo wall with her $625,000 settlement check
    Victoria M.$625,000
  • Karina C. smiling in the Valero Law Group office with her $625,000 settlement check
    Karina C.$625,000
  • Angela M. smiling and pointing to her $625,000 settlement check
    Angela M.$625,000
  • Destiny H. smiling with her $500,000 settlement check
    Destiny H.$500,000
  • Javier P. smiling in the Valero Law Group office with his $375,000 settlement check
    Javier P.$375,000
Thank you Eric for representing me with my case! I got hit by a semi-truck on the streets and I was severely injured. Eric Sapir was very helpful and caring. He made sure I got the right doctor to take care of all medical needs to help me get my health back on track! Thanks Valero Law Group.
Victoria M.Google review
Read all 400+ of our reviews
From my first consultation to the final settlement, the Valero Law Firm was exceptional. They genuinely cared about my well-being and worked tirelessly to get me the compensation I deserved.
LexiGoogle review
After my accident, my car was a complete wreck, and I was stressed about how I would get to all my doctor and therapy appointments. The Valero Law Group was a lifesaver in every sense of the word.
Fam BamGoogle review

What you can recover aftera truck accident in California.

Whoever caused the crash, whether the truck driver, the trucking company, a company that loaded or maintained the truck or another driver, can be held responsible for what it cost you.

Economic damages

The costs you can add up

  • Emergency care, surgery and hospital bills
  • Physical therapy and rehabilitation
  • Lost wages and lost earning capacity
  • Repairing or replacing your vehicle

Non-economic damages

The harm that has no receipt

  • Pain and physical suffering
  • Scarring and disfigurement
  • Loss of companionship
  • Lost enjoyment of life
  • $750,000The minimum a trucking company must carryFederal law sets it for interstate freight haulers (49 CFR §387.9), and California sets the same floor for motor carriers in the state (Vehicle Code §34631.5). The minimum for a car is $30,000.
  • 11 hoursThe most an interstate truck driver may drive after 10 hours offFederal rules (49 CFR §395.3) generally cap driving at 11 hours inside a 14-hour window. A driver over the limit is in violation of federal rules.
  • 6 monthsHow long a carrier must keep a driver's logsHours-of-service records and ELD data must be kept at least six months (49 CFR §395.8, §395.22), and daily inspection reports only three (§396.11). A lawyer can ask the company in writing to preserve them.

After a truck crash in Bakersfield,what comes next.

The report, the trucking company and its records, your care and the deadlines, explained.

Valero Law Group attorneys meeting around a conference table
  • Getting the crash report
    On Highway 99 or 58, and in Rosedale, Oildale or Lamont, the CHP's Bakersfield office usually takes the report. On I‑5 west of town, from the Kings County line to Highway 166, it's the CHP's Buttonwillow office. Either way you can request it online. On city streets it's usually Bakersfield Police, and injury reports can take a few weeks.
  • Get the company's name and USDOT number
    Both have to be on each side of a commercial truck's cab, readable from 50 feet (49 CFR §390.21T). Write them down or photograph them. Anyone can search the number on the FMCSA's public Company Snapshot.
  • Driver logs are kept only six months
    A trucking company must keep its drivers' hours-of-service records and ELD data for at least six months, and daily inspection reports for three months. After that, the rules no longer require them. A lawyer can ask the company in writing to preserve them.
  • Symptoms can show up later
    Neck and back injuries and concussions don't always show up right away, so if something feels off in the days after, it's worth getting checked. Wherever you were treated, from Kern Medical, the county's only Level II trauma center, to Adventist Health, Memorial or Mercy, you have a right to copies of your medical and billing records, even with a bill unpaid.
  • The DMV has its own 10-day rule
    If anyone was injured, even slightly, or damage tops $1,000, each driver must file form SR-1 with the DMV within 10 days, no matter who was at fault and even if police made a report. That includes you if you were driving.
  • Public agencies have shorter deadlines
    Most injury lawsuits must be filed within two years. If a GET bus, a city or county vehicle or a state highway hazard was involved, a written claim to the city, Kern County, GET or Caltrans is usually due within six months.
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Al Barro Foundation: supporting over 400 orphans in Mexico

From the community, for the community.

Hablamos español.

We're a Hispanic-focused firm with native Spanish-speaking attorneys. We understand your family's needs, walk you through every step in your language, and fight to get you every dollar you deserve.

Organizations we support

Sponsor of the 2024 Share the Road Scholarship

Our community outreach
  • Al Barro Foundation
  • EUNIME por Tijuana, A.C.
…they speak excellent Spanish, know how to help, and look out for their clients' best interests.
Yesica H.Google review
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Organizations we support

Sponsor of the 2024 Share the Road Scholarship

Our community outreach
  • Al Barro Foundation
  • EUNIME por Tijuana, A.C.

Common questionsafter a Bakersfield truck accident.

How long do I have after a truck accident in Bakersfield?
Most injury lawsuits must be filed within two years of the crash. If a City of Bakersfield or Kern County vehicle, a GET bus or a hazard on a state highway was involved, a written claim is usually due within six months. Call us early so no deadline slips by.
Who is responsible when a truck causes a crash?
Often more than one party: the truck driver, the company they drive for, a company that loaded the cargo or serviced the truck, or another driver. Each may carry its own insurance.
How much insurance does a trucking company carry?
At least $750,000 in liability coverage for a for-hire company hauling general freight across state lines, and $1 million or $5 million for some hazardous loads (49 CFR §387.9). California sets its own floor for every motor carrier of property, even trucks that stay in the state: $750,000, or $300,000 for a carrier running only vehicles under 10,000 pounds, and $1,200,000 for bulk petroleum (Vehicle Code §34631.5).
How long can a truck driver drive?
Under the federal rules for interstate trucking, a driver generally may drive 11 hours after 10 hours off, and not after the 14th hour on duty (49 CFR §395.3). California's rules for in-state drivers allow up to 12 hours of driving after 10 hours off, no driving after the 16th hour on duty, and no driving after 80 hours on duty in 8 days (13 CCR §1212.5). Both have exceptions.
Will the truck driver be tested for drugs or alcohol?
If the crash killed someone, or the truck driver was cited and someone was taken for treatment or a vehicle was towed, the trucking company must test its driver for alcohol and drugs. An alcohol test not done within 8 hours, or a drug test not done within 32 hours, is no longer attempted (49 CFR §382.303).
Does it matter if I was partly at fault?
It can lower an award, but it doesn't erase it. Under California's pure comparative fault rule, an award is reduced by your share of the blame, so someone 20% at fault keeps 80%.
Do you have an office in Bakersfield?
Yes. Our office is at 5100 California Ave, Suite 104, Bakersfield, CA 93309. Come in if you like, or we'll come to you, at home or in the hospital. Call (800) 985-9565 any time, 24/7.
What does a truck accident lawyer cost?
Nothing upfront. Your consultation is free, and no attorney's fees are owed unless we recover compensation for you. You may be responsible for case-related costs and expenses; we'll explain them before you sign.
Attorney Kyle Valero
Kyle ValeroAttorney, Valero Law Group

Our easy 3-stepcase review process.

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  1. Free consultationCall us 24/7 or fill out our form. We'll review your case at no cost.
  2. Review your caseOur experienced attorneys investigate and evaluate your case to build the strongest claim possible.
  3. Injury litigationWe fight for maximum compensation, in negotiation or in court.
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Have a question about a potential case?Talk to a Bakersfield truck accident lawyer today.

Your consultation is always free, with no obligation. We're happy to answer any questions and walk you through your options. No pressure, just honest answers.

(661) 426-8179

24/7 line: (800) 985-9565

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